Asunder
by Sakure of Snow
Summary: Things just got real in a painful way and it spirals into a domino effect of realization. How high is too high a price to pay? Between two wars and a treaty breach, who really has the time or the nerve to act their age. Choices must be made. Sacrifices are to be had. Things have to give. Own up or shut up boys and girls. - Twilight gets a much needed reality check -


_**Asunder**_

_**A Twilight Fanfiction**_

_**Hello everyone! Long time no talk. I'm really sorry about just dropping off the face of the earth; it's really been a rough ride for me and I'm working on it. This story is similar to Locked Out of Heaven in the way I wish to tell it, but more Pack-centric. I will be getting back to that story when I get back into the momentum of things. Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: Twilight and all characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. Thank Goddess.**_

_**Warning: Liberal swearing; read at your own discretion.**_

_**Chapter One: Back To Life**_

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><p>It flickered before his eyes like a bad movie: Sitting in the garage working on the Rabbit while she watched on. Riding on their motorcycles. Talking and laughing at the antics of Quil and Embry. The innocent moments and the heated ones. All of the good memories that made the reality of it all burn that much more in his heart and mind.<p>

_Mrs. Cullen._

All this time, all this fighting, was for nothing.

_Mrs. Cullen._

She had already closed the door on her coffin and didn't have the decency to tell him.

_Mrs. Cullen._

The feverish pace his body took to heal himself and the pain of his rebreaking wasn't nearly enough to occupy his mind and make him forget. Second place.

He came second place to a goddamn corpse.

_Mrs. Cullen._

For what?

An entire wave of vampires came after her. A wave that could have very well destroyed the town and the people in it. Monsters that could have invaded the reservation and laid waste to all they knew and loved, treaty be damned.

He was a fucking protector for God's sake and he threw that all away for a girl who was rushing head first to her death. A girl who threw his love for her back into his face time and time again. A girl who used him when it was necessary and chucked him like a used Kleenex when she was done.

The girl he grew up with and followed around endlessly. The girl he took his time to help put back together. The girl that he cared for with every fiber of his being. The girl he saw a future with.

The girl that consistently turned her back on everything she'd ever come to know, love, and have. Fuck her parents and the people that practically called her their own. Be damned the friends that accepted her the moment she walked into town. To hell with the dead man that used to clean her scraped knees and let her and Leah ride in the back of his pick-up to town for ice-cream.

They came second place.

Worse than that.

They weren't even a fucking priority!

The rage and crushing sadness building up in his mangled ribcage was like a wild thing inside of him. The love and devotion he carried for her was twisting itself in the fire of it. It was impossible for him to think that something this strong and this firmly rooted in him could vanish overnight or collapse right in front of him, but something more important and more concrete was pushing its' way in.

The faces of his parents and packmates. The faces of his sister and little Claire. The tiny houses that dotted the landscape of La Push. The many adventures of kids too young to know of the burden that would soon befall them. The visits and games and presents from Charlie Swan. The shopkeeper and his allowance of one treat every time he came. The laughter of little kids running along the beach during bonfires.

Every single life and memory attached to this land he protected.

The price he was willing to pay for one Isabella Swan.

**_Was it worth it Little One?_**

That voice he thought he would never hear again, or chose to never hear again, spoke to him now in a timbre that was wise and true. He knew it was the true Alpha that spoke; a being that was a part of the very core that made him Jacob Black. A being he never dared to approach for fear of having to face the reality that he never wanted.

_**It has gone on far enough Little One. I have stayed silent for far too long. The price you were willing to pay for the affections of a selfish paleface have reached its' zenith. What you have seen, what you see now; was it worth it Little One?**_

No. It wasn't.

His chest burned more.

_**It is much to give and see all at once, I am aware, but it must be seen. A larger threat is coming Little One, and life can be spared, but you must come into your own and stop being so selfish. Your people need you. You have given much to the undeserving while leaving your heritage to rot and ruin, you are no better than the leeches you claim to abhor. Open yourself to your birthright Little One and see what you have long denied yourself and your mate. There is chaos and confusion among your ranks; rise to become the leader you were born to be and take your place. The rest will follow and all will be as it is meant to.**_

Flashes and memories assaulted his mind as the blooming in his chest continued to grow. Every memory and thought that he ever possessed assaulted his mind. The important memories of his pack and the ones before it converged into a power he couldn't comprehend. To feel what they felt and see what they saw made him realize the ramifications of his choices and his priorities.

He had failed.

He was a kid that was willing to sell his family up the river for a hard on. For a girl selling her family up the river for a cadaver.

He was no better.

And that burned.

He wouldn't change over night. He couldn't snap his fingers and become the Alpha of Legend in one day. But he could man the hell up and drop the gauntlet.

He was done.

So done.

How much more of his honor and dignity could he give up for mediocrity? How much more could he give to a lost cause? How little could he give about his own life and legacy before he was no better than them?

He loved Bella. Loved her so much.

But how could he love someone so hell-bent on not loving themselves? Someone who's life held so little meaning and importance.

It nearly bled. It burned so much, but he had to let go.

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><p>She could feel the change before anyone else did. It was a heavy feeling that permeated the air; raw, rippling, and surging with potential power. As they sat around waiting for the screams to stop and to hear work about their fallen brother, each and every one of them began to take in the building essence. Something was on the horizon; the wolf as well as the human could feel it and it did not stop with the spirit warriors. A great hush came over the reservation. Children ceased their cries and playing. The elders woke from their slumber and the other adults stopped their work. Everyone on the reservation, no matter where they were, looked towards the small house with reverence as they waited.<p>

After a long moment of silence, there was a quiet shudder before a warm wave spread far and wide over the land. The wolves immediately fell to their knees in submission except for Leah, who bowed her head. Every man, woman, and child began to walk to the house, reaching for open hands as they did so.

They must greet him. They must give their thanks and show their loyalty.

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><p>Carlisle could hardly stand under the pressure of the wave of power radiating from the young boy. A very real, chilling fear ran up his spine. The one thing that kept him there rather than fleeing was the sheer fact that he was at the wolf's mercy and surrounded by his followers.<p>

Jacob could feel the power running through his body as it knitted together and burned the chemicals from his body. He could feel every single one of them; all of his people and wolves. He could feel their love and devotion to him. He could feel their love and pride in their land and the families they have raised. There was a bond that tied him to this land and every single person born to it. This is what he was meant to do. These were his people to lead and to protect. This was his responsibility as a wolf and as a man; the responsibility of all the wolves and every family.

It was a deafening roar that sounded in their ears as every single attachment broke away. It was akin to releasing a long held breath. Those cables divided into an intricate web that wove its way throughout their people, linking them together in a spiritual way that had long been lost.

They were family. They were a tribe.

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><p>Bella was alarmed at the large group that gathered outside. The hugging and the cries pouring forth from them were so emotional, it made her panic. Had something happened to Jacob? Who called all of these people here? Before she could get up and find out, she found herself surrounded by intense emotion from the wolf pack as they laughed, cried, and jumped up and down in each other's arms. What was going on? What the heck was happening?! She made her way through the exuberant crowd to the room that Jake was held in. Before she had a time to knock, the door was opened to reveal Jacob himself.<p>

"Jake, you're-"

He held up a hand to silence her as he strolled past, leaving her dumbstruck.

Carlisle leaned against the door, looking paler if it were possible. Bella could see pure terror in his eyes, something she came to believe a vampire could never experience.

"Carlisle, what's going on? How is Jake even able to stand right now?"

He opened and closed his mouth, unable to make sound. Had he been alive, she would have thought he was having a stroke. Before she could ask more, a low rumble drifted from the living room. Without a word or a sound, Carlisle rushed from the home out of an open window and into the woods as quickly as his legs would take him.

Jacob walked into the living room where his wolves greeted him in submission. He could feel their joy and see their inner warriors shining back at him in their eyes. This was how it was supposed to be. This is the joy that they were meant to have in serving their land and their people. But he could not stop there. He walked out onto the porch and into the gathering outside, where the others rejoiced at his arrival. He touched each and every one of them as he passed. He shared kisses and hugs and shook hands. He gathered children and gave them pats on the head.

Billy looked on as his son interacted and acknowledged their tribe. He moved and spoke like a leader and his heart swelled with pride at the sight. He could feel the ancient spirits at work. He could feel the spirits of the warriors rejoice at the rightful alpha taking his place, even if the human vessels knew not. Old Quil stood beside him outright weeping, knowing the power for what it was, having experienced it first hand as a child.

This was a day of new beginnings; of a renewed strength for their protectors and their people. And it was a long time in coming.

There had been little to no words. For the time being, there was only the need to rejoice and celebrate. So it didn't take long for someone to start a bonfire on the beach and bring whatever food they had. For today, stress, pain, and grudges were forgotten. For today, there was unity among everyone and an urge to love and be loved.

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><p>Bella never got a chance to speak to Jacob, as she hated crowded places and felt unsettled and unwelcome. Stumbling into her truck, she drove in relative silence as she tried to wrap her mind around what was just happened. She failed to notice the silver Volvo following her home or that Edward had opened the truck door for her. In a daze, she walked through her house up the stairs and onto her bed. If Edward was saying anything to her, she wasn't hearing it.<p>

Jacob was okay, but he didn't spare her a single glance.

Carlisle ran away as if devils were chasing him.

Everyone was so happy and celebrating.

What did she miss?

What was going on?

Did this mean that everything would be okay now?

She was shaken out of her reverie by an irritated Edward, who had a few bags slung over his shoulder. Behind him was a crazed looking Alice standing at the door, being more jittery than usual. She noticed for the first time that some things in her room were missing and turned a questioning gaze towards them.

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><p><em><strong>So, I hope this hooks you for a very interesting ride. I know I dropped you right in the middle of the action with little explanation, but I promise all will be revealed soon. I will try to clean up as I go so it's less confusing. Hope you enjoy and stick around! Criticism is welcome; I know this first chapter is beyond rough.<strong>_

_**Edited (3/27/15)**_


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